Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-08-13
SHE WEARS A MEDAL.
a HOUN8 RsROiSA AND SOW sHs
DAkNsD fnk firLa
How RsiiroAd Accident Wa Prevented snd
the Passengers sawed ~ a,r' who Fought
Her way rhrougn . How,ing SNOW
storm to warn the Esg,nsss.

Newportvillc, Ia, Corr, Pittsburg Dispatch.
To day, st the house Of . mutual
friend, met . nineteenth century
heroine-s young girl who wears upon her
breaRt . massive gold medal that WA pre-.
sented to her by the leRislstureo Of the state Of
Iowa some years ago, ~ . mark Of its aPpre-
citation of her wonderful courage and pres
encs OF mind. Tall, erect and well proper.
toned, with her dark, bright eyes, rosy
cheeks and clear-cut features forming .
charming picture ot strong, true American
woomsnhood, Kate Shelley, OF Boone, Iowa
Is = girl that any father or any state might be
proud oL she Is to day - years old, tut she
was only 10 when, by AN act ot daring
bravery, she won the admiration and graft.
tude Of the people Of her native state, and
made her name famous among them.
About dark on July d, lSsl, wind aud
rain storm Of unparalleled severity burst
over Kate Shelley's home In the country
near Honey creek. The Des Moines river
rose six feet, and every creek was over its
banks In lees than an hour The window Of
this brave girls room commanded view of
the Honey creek Railroad bridge Pesring
out into the darkness she saw, by the aid Of
the vivid flashes of lightning which ut fire.
luent intervals Illuminated the scene, that
houses, barns, fences, lumber and every.
thing portable within reach Of the flood had
been carried away, while the wind swept by
with fearful and ever-increasipg velocity,
and the waters continued quickly and
steadily to rIsa
Through the backness and storm. abe saw
a locomotive headlight advancing swiftly In
the direction OF the bridge which the Hood
had borne away. second later and the
light suddenly dropped down out OF sight,
and though the roaring of tho wind ard the
waters rendered 1t imPnssible for her to hear
the frightful crash 1t must have made, she
knew that train of cars had plu nged into
the abyss. There Was no one ut home be
side herself, save her mother and her little
| beother and sister, and she knew that II help
/ was 70 be given to the sufferers and . warn
ing conveyed to the engineer Of the express
| train then nearly due, shs must undertake
the awful task alone Throwing an old
l water proof about her shoulders and hastily
lighting . lantern. she vsntured forth into
/ the storm. The Hood WAS far above all
roads and pathways to the waters edge, and
she soon realized that 1t would be impossible
TO reach the wreck. She must try some
! other plan. A steep, rocky bluff led up 70
the track. She began to ascend It. With
her clothes torn to rsSs and her flesh lascer.
sted BY the thick growth of bushes. she
/ at last reached the rails There WAS still .
small portion OF the bridge left On her
hands and knees she crawled out on the re.
naming ties to the last one, and holding
on with one hand for her life she leaned out
/ over the water ~ far As che could, and wsv-
ing her lantern, cried out at the top Of her
/ voice.
From the black gulf below there came in
answer the faint accents OF the engineer, who
/ told her II was freight tram that had gone
over, and that, though badly injured, he had
L saved himself from drownipg z by crawling up
on some broken tmbers He believed that
all the other train hsnds had perished, and
station, warning the approsching express
train OF its danger and return with help for
him.
Retrscipg her steps, the young heroine VA
L haa tho isi, ~tteh ehz
/ speed she could make against the bowling
/ tempest toward Moingona, . small station
about one mile from Honey creek. To reach
that point she hsd to cross the high trestle
bridge over the Des Moines river, = distanos
OF 800 feet Her trembling foot had scarcely
taken lis first step upon the structure when 4
sudden and appalling burst Of thunder, light
ming, wind and rain nearly threw her into
the water, and at the same time extinkuished
her light Matches would have been power.
less to relight 1t in such hurricane, even u
! she had them, and she MAS nov unable tc
see even Q hands leuxth before her, except
when . vivid flash OF lightning revealed the
raging waters beneath her, or the dark out
lines OF the swayipg bridge to which she
chung. Throwing away her lantern, thi,
dauntless American girl again dropped on
through the darkness and storm from til
to tie over the perious trestle. Reaching
firm ground again she soon covered the
short remaining distances to the station
dead faint ct the station age MS feet.
Succor was hastily dispatched 10 the suffer
ing engineer in Honey creek. telegram
| went flying up and down the line, notify IDS
the railroad officials that the bridge was gone
Just one minute after the brave girl haG
tainted, and while she still lay unconscious
/ the express train came rushing In. Wher
the passengers learned Of the awful acciden
from which they had Teen saved by the in
6omitabls courage OF one fragile girl, lovinf
hands took her up tenderly, chafed the tori
and bleeding limbs, lsved the palid face, anC
soon called her hack to lite again. Ther
| they collected for her substantial purse
When the fame Of brave X ate Shsliey's OF
| plOit spread throughout her native state msr
/ and women Of all CLASSES united TO do bsl
.. honor. Several subscriptions were started
for her benefit and II money In ever an ade
. | quate recompense for such herOsm ah8 ha,
/ been we'll rewarded for her brave conduct
/ The legislature voted that medal should b<
/ given her To commemorate her daring sc
/ and appointed special COMMITTEES tn present
/ IL, her berOism being made tho theme o
many eloquent speeches.
On tho day when she received the medal
,, from the hands OF the legislative COMMITTEES
IN the town OF Boone, la, the event was csie
OTat0d in manner which surpassed any
| previous pubic demonstration ever held In
that state. procession, music, speeches
| and banquet were features OF the OccssIon
ON which not only the people Of her native
state but also many distinguished guests
from abroad united 70 do honor To brave
hsto Sheliey. FRANK FERN.